Five Scenes of Hogwarts: A Prologue
by Lady Beatrice
Summary: MWPP. LilyJames. Snape. 6th7th Year. Canon. Correct spelling and grammar! Five scenes in which: James grows up, he and Lily fall in love and Snape has a secret.
1. Chapter 1

**Five Scenes of Hogwarts: A Prologue**

By Lady Beatrice

Scene One: The Way He Was

_September, 1976. Sixth Year. _

They were late for class, but neither one was worried. They both knew that Professor Slughorn doted on Sirius because he was a Black, and besides, together, they were _the height of cool. _As they took their time making their way towards the dungeons, James asked Sirius something important that had been on his mind since that morning.

"Do you think I look better with facial hair?"

Sirius glanced at the stubble adorning his best friend's face. "Um, no. It makes you look like an escaped convict from Azkaban."

"Really?" James stopped momentarily in front of a suit of armour to check his reflection, scratched his chin thoughtfully, and then shrugged and continued walking. "I think it makes me rather dashing."

Sirius snorted. "If McGonagall sees it wouldn't say it was dashing. She'd say it was vile, then send you to Filch to have it done over with a lawn mower or something."

"She can't tell me off for growing facial hair!" James protested. "Look at Flitwick! Look at _Dumbledore _for Christ's sake!"

"Somehow, I don't think that argument will hold up well," said Sirius dryly. He suddenly threw an arm up to stop James from walking, and an evil grin spread across his features. "Hey Prongs…_look_."

James' eyes flicked towards the end of the corridor where Sirius was looking and his face lit up. "An ickle first year!"

"A _lost _ickle first year."

"Let's give her directions."

"Let's send her to Filch's office. He'd go _nuts_."

"Nah, let's send her to the Astronomy Tower. Peeves is in there throwing ink pellets again."

"_Or _we could tell her to go into that dungeon where Hagrid's keeping those giant maggots."

"Hey! I've got an even_ better_ idea." James was positively bounding with enthusiasm. "Let's dye her hair blue! She probably won't even notice. And then she'd walk obliviously into her classroom and – "

"Imagine if it were _McGonagall's_!" Sirius shut his eyes as if to visualize this delightful scene and snickered. "McGonagall would go _mental. _She'd think the kid had been messing around with human Transfiguration or something."

"That's it then," said James, rubbing his hands together gleefully. "I'll do the actual dying. You can provide the distraction."

"Right on," said Sirius. They went straight into action: James hid behind a suit of armour, ready to creep up behind the girl; in the mean time Sirius approached her with an amiable smile.

"Need help?" he called in a deep and friendly voice.

The girl turned around and looked at him uncertainly. She was short with mousy brown hair tied in a long plait down her back, and seemed nervous and embarrassed at being addressed by a sixth year.

"Y-yes," she said hesitantly. "I need to go to Transfiguration but the door I usually take seems to have vanished…"

"Yes, that sometimes happens on Tuesdays," said Sirius kindly, and even James, who had seen him in action more times than he could count, had to admire the way he was able to charm the girl into trusting him so quickly; she had stopped looking nervous and had now gone fluttery over Sirius' good looks and the attention he was paying her. "All you have to do is turn left at the end of this corridor…"

Sirius moved around to point it out and the girl shifted to follow his direction, her back now turned towards James.

"…then right past that statue of Codswallody the Brave…"

James crept out from behind the armour and moved slowly behind the girl, his wand arm outstretched.

"…then up two flights of stairs, right again halfway down the Charms corridor then turn left at the tapestry of the Drunken Dame…"

He was barely a foot away from her now.

"…you'll find a secret passage that'll take you up near Sprout's office…"

James flicked his wand, and thought _Allegramen_ –

Suddenly, there was a flash of light and he was blasted back off his feet into the wall.

"Oof!" he gasped; the first year girl turned around and shrieked in alarm, Sirius gave a shout; but before James could do anything there was another flash of light and he was hit by a second hex which left him winded and gasping in a heap on the floor.

"Five points from Gryffindor, Potter."

With effort, James raised his head looked up groggily from the ground to see who it was.

Lily Evans was standing over him, wand outstretched and a disdainful expression on her face. Sirius let out a bark of laughter. The first year girl looked traumatized.

"Off you go to your class then. Go on," Lily said to the girl, who immediately scuttled off, casting a frightened look over her shoulder. "And as for you two," she said, turning back to James and Sirius, "I'm reporting you both."

James was so angry he wanted to curse her, but couldn't move his mouth because the hex hadn't worn off.

"Aw, come on, Evans – " Sirius began, "we haven't done anything– "

"You were _going _to," Lily interjected. "_And _she was a first year…could you stoop any lower?"

James' jaw worked loose at last.

"What did you have to hex me for?" he demanded furiously.

"You were going to dye her hair blue! Did you expect me to just stand there and let it happen?"

"Well, why didn't you get Sirius as well then?"

"Because I was listening on the stairs and it was _your _idea!"

Lily's green eyes were narrowed and sparks were shooting from her wand. Angry as he was, James couldn't help but feel a jolt of attraction as he got to his feet: Evans was _hot _when she was mad.

"Get to class!" she snapped. "You're late."

"So are you, _Prefect _Evans."

"I had a meeting with Professor Dumbledore!" Lily hoisted her bag onto her shoulder and tossed her hair behind her shoulder, still glaring. "Now _move,_ or I'll burn that stubble off your face. You'll look less like an escaped convict at any rate."

Sirius snorted with laughter. James' face burned.

"Yeah, well…what about _you_?" he shot back.

Lily raised her eyebrows. "What _about _me?"

James found himself staring at a girl who had never looked anything less than perfect. "Your hair's… red. _Real _red," he added lamely.

Somehow, this brilliant come back did not cause Lily to break down into tears.

"You really are a prat," she said, unimpressed, and flounced down the corridor ahead of them, long hair swinging behind her. James and Sirius followed at a distance.

"That was _brilliant, _James," said Sirius, chuckling. "_'Your hair's red…real red_.' That's awful. Even Peter could have come up with something better."

James didn't answer, he had barely listened. He was watching how Lily's hair caught the glow off the torch light as she moved on towards the dungeons, her hips swinging…she had a nice ass…

Before he could stop himself, James found himself calling after her.

"Hey – Evans! Hogsmeade trip on Halloween! Wanna go with me?"

Lily stopped at the door of the Potions room, one hand on the door knob, and turned around to face him.

"For the forty-seventh time Potter..._no_!"

She pushed the door open and walked in.

"Forty-seven," said Sirius, looking mildly impressed. "It's getting quite humiliating, isn't it, James? Maybe you should try asking someone else out."

James shrugged non-commitedly; he had always been inexplicably obsessed with Lily Evans, who was possibly the only female in Hogwarts who didn't find him remotely attractive. Sirius was right though…being constantly turned down by her _was _becoming downright embarrassing.

They followed Lily into the dungeon.

"You're late boys," said Slughorn reprovingly as they walked in. "Five points from…Sirius my boy!" Slughorn beamed at the sight of him. "Take a seat! We're working in pairs today and as Severus here doesn't have a partner, _you_ can work with him! James, you're with Miss Evans."

Lily protested at once. "But sir – "

"Ah, Lily," he said, waggling his finger. "Don't deny Mr. Potter here the chance to seduce you with that dashing new-found facial hair of his. Off you go, then!"

It was hard to say who was angrier, Lily or Snape. Snape cast Sirius a look of purest loathing as he slid into the seat beside him; James, on the other hand, moved as close as he could to Lily without being accused of sexual harassment.

"Why do you hate me, Evans?"

Lily lit a fire under her cauldron, cursing under her breath.

"Is it my glasses? My hair? The fact that you're secretly attracted to me but too afraid to admit it?"

Lily was so shocked by this last statement she missed the cutting board and accidentally beheaded a Flobberworm.

"Me? Attracted to you?" she scoffed. "In your dreams, Potter."

"Come on. You must be. I mean, I'm the Quidditch captain!"

"You may find it hard to believe, but I _don't _like people just for their Quidditch abilities. Add the Salamander blood."

James thought for a moment. "So why _do _you hate me?"

"Because," said Lily, "you're a great, bullying prat. Now add the Salamander blood!"

"But – "

"_Now!_"

James added it. "But then," he continued, picking up his pestle and beginning to pound scarab beetles, "I'm not _really _a bully. I was just having a bit of fun. You need to lighten up, Lily."

"Call hexing a first year fun? You need to stir the potion three times clockwise."

"It would have been – "

"_Stir the potion, Potter!_"

James stirred it. "It would have been funny," he said again. Lily snorted.

"What, humiliating a little girl? And what about Snape?"

"What _about _Snape?" James demanded.

"You're always picking on him. For no reason! Add the – "

But James had already done it. Narrowing her eyes suspiciously at him, Lily turned back to chopping her Tandy roots. James leaned in closer to her.

"It's mutual between Snape and me. I wouldn't expect you to understand."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"Look," James persisted, "if I promise to stop hexing him…_will _you go out with me?"

"Sure."

Somehow, James missed the sarcasm.

"Really?" he said, taken aback.

"James," said Lily haughtily, "I wouldn't go out with you if it were a choice between you and Hagrid's giant maggots. I wouldn't go out with you if it were a choice between you and _Snape_."

"You'd go out with _Snape _over me?" said James revolted. "Evans…that's just…" but Lily had finally snapped.

"Potter," she said. "If you ever ask me out again, you will be very, very, sorry."

She emptied the entire contents of her bubbling cauldron over James' head and stormed out of the dungeon. There was a stunned silence as the entire Potions class watched a drenched James spluttering and wiping Salamander blood out of his eyes. Some people gasped. A few people applauded. Everyone simultaneously turned back to Slughorn, expecting him to go mad, but after a few more stunned seconds, he burst into raucous laughter.

"Ah, James," he said, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, "she's a little spitfire, that one. You'll have to do more than grow a little stubble to get the best of _her._"

"That was _brilliant, _Lily."

It was dinner time, and Lily's best friend, Catherine Swan was still chuckling as she helped herself to the potatoes.

Lily smiled ruefully. "I didn't really mean to…he just made me so mad..." she sighed. "Was he _very _badly hurt?"

"Nah…a few hives and a couple of burns. Sirius took him up to the hospital wing although I don't know how he managed; he was laughing fit to burst. He's probably still up there." Cate pushed her long, blonde hair out of her face and smirked. "You should visit him."

"I doubt I'd be welcome," Lily said darkly. Then she sighed. "Why's he such a prat?"

Cate shrugged. "Oh, you know…late developer…although technically, he should have already grown out of the latency stage years ago…Freud's theory," Cate added, catching the puzzled look on Lily's face.

"How d'you know about Freud?" Lily demanded.

"My dad," said Cate simply. "You know he was a Muggle – well, he was a psychologist before he married my mum. He's always going on about Freud and his developmental theory."

"Go on then."

"It's like this," Cate explained. "We all go through stages as we grow up. When we're about two or three, we go through what's called the anal phase – that's when toddlers become obsessed with their bowels and stuff – gross I know," she added as Lily looked revolted. "The point is, everyone grows out of that stage by the time we're about four. But when we hit puberty, that's when everything changes. Girls react to it by throwing themselves into heterosexual relationships; boys are a little slower and instead of going forward regress to an earlier phase."

Lily was fascinated.

"So what you're saying," she said, "is that Potter's still stuck at that stage where he finds farts and toilet humour funny?"

"Exactly," Cate said. "Although like I said, _eventually _they're meant to grow out of it. I have my doubts about some of them though. See exhibit A."

She gestured towards the Hufflepuff table; Lily glanced over a saw a second year mashing potato into someone's hair while all his friends cheered. Over at the Ravenclaw table, Kelvin Jones was belching loudly and rubbing his stomach, and a few chairs from Lily, Sirius Black was talking with his mouth full.

"Hey Peter…do you like sea food?" he asked. Peter nodded eagerly. Sirius opened his mouth wide, baring a revolting display of half-chewed baby corn and beetroot. "See…food…get it?" Peter choked on a sausage end as he snorted with laughter; Remus looked revolted and turned away from the sickening sight. Catching the two girls staring, he smiled apologetically, and went back to the conversation after making sure that Sirius' mouth was tightly shut first.

"Well, at least there's hope for one of them," said Lily, turning back to her dinner which somehow didn't look quite as appetizing.

Cate took a spoonful of pavlova. "You know…Potter isn't all _that _bad."

Lily frowned. "What d'you mean?"

"I mean, he's only really awful around you because he likes you so much."

"Come off it!" Lily scoffed.

"No, _really,_" Cate insisted. "Think about it, he wouldn't be so popular if all he did was bully people. He can be a bit arrogant, but he's funny as well…and," Cate shrugged. "I like him."

Lily spluttered. "_You – _come on – "

"Give him a chance. It won't kill you."

The look on Lily's face was so disbelieving, Cate choked on her pumpkin juice laughing.

Later, Lily couldn't think what possessed her to do it. It might have been because she felt responsible for James being stuck in the hospital wing, or it could have been the conversation she'd had with Cate during dinner. Whatever the reason, at eight o'clock that evening Lily found herself walking towards the hospital wing, a bowl of grapes in one hand and a book on Quidditch in the other.

James looked so astonished to see her, Lily almost liked him.

"Come to hex me again?" he asked.

"No." There was an awkward silence in which Lily wondered again why she had come. "I bought you a book." She held it out to him. James glanced at the cover.

"I've read it."

"Oh." Lily's hand dropped. "Grapes?" she offered.

James looked slightly bemused. "Add it to the pile," he said, gesturing to his bedside table where it looked like the whole of Gryffindor house and bought him grapes.

Feeling foolish, she set her bowl down with the others.

"So, um…how are you doing?" she asked without looking at him.

"About as well as could be expected after having a cauldron of half-made antidote thrown on me."

"Yes, well…about that…" Lily's voice trailed off. _Just apologize, _she thought to herself. James waited.

"Well?" he prompted after a while.

Lily couldn't bring herself to do it. "Well…nothing."

They looked at each other for a long moment. For some reason, Lily blushed.

"Bye, then," she said, turning away.

"Hey Evans," James called, just she reached the door.

"What?" she said, turning back.

James smirked that arrogant smirk Lily loathed so much. "Wanna go to Hogsmeade with me?"

Lily was so stunned that for a few moments, she could only splutter wordlessly. "I was right the first time," she managed at last. "You really are a prat."

And with that, she marched out the door, slamming it shut behind her.

END SCENE 1

A/N: Hi everyone –

The plan was that I was _going _to write an L/J story post-Hogwarts, but realized it wouldn't really make any sense if people didn't know the back story behind it all. Hence _Five Scenes, _obviously there'll be four more parts to this one.

Tell me what you think…if you like it, I'll continue. If you dislike it, I'll continue with it anyway. Ha.

PEACE OUT.

Lady Beatrice.


	2. Chapter 2

**Five Scenes of Hogwarts: A Prologue**

by Lady Beatrice

Scene Two: Transfiguration

_Sixth Year. 1977._

_Last full moon of the school year._

In an empty classroom at Hogwarts School, a tall boy with dark hair was sitting on the window ledge and looking despondently out the window. He was very good looking, but at the moment his handsome features were marred by a brooding look on his face that was made all the more darker as the sun set, casting shadow over where he sat.

"I'm _bored_," he declared.

Remus Lupin, who was sitting at a desk nearby trying to finish an essay, appeared so used to this proclamation that he didn't even look up.

"Where's James?" he asked, scratching away.

"Quidditch," came the gloomy reply.

"What about Peter?"

"Remedial Charms." Sirius said with a roll of his eyes. Then he sighed. "I want to _do _something."

"Well, if you're bored you can help me with this essay, I have to get it done before I go to the Shrieking Shack tonight." Remus pushed his book towards Sirius who snorted.

"Something _exciting, _not that rubbish."

Remus looked at him nonplussed. "It's full moon tonight, how much more excitement do you need?"

Sirius shrugged and resumed staring out the window. Remus glanced at his friend a moment longer, then asked –

"Are you going straight to the Potters' this summer?"

"Yeah," said Sirius, a scowl appearing on his face. "Not that my parents are likely to notice…they've got their other, _perfect _son to dote on…" His scowl deepened.

"Regulus still a pure-blood aficionado then?" Remus asked.

"Yep," Sirius confirmed. "Tool," he added idly.

There was a short silence, in which Remus continued scratching away at his essay while Sirius tapped his fingers on the windowpane absentmindedly.

"I was thinking," he said. "You and Wormtail should come at stay at James' as well. It'd be cool, we could have another full moon together and - "

"No!" said Remus sharply, looking up. "We've had too many close calls already, and James lives near Muggles! If we get seen, it'd be straight to Azkaban – "

"Alright, alright," said Sirius, a most ugly look on his face. "It was just an idea, that's all. You didn't have to fly off the handle at me."

"I wasn't flying off anything; I just don't want you lot getting caught!" Remus cast Sirius a wary look, then turned back to his essay. "And incidentally, you need to be more careful."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "It's not as though I go around _advertising _that I'm an Animagus or anything – "

"I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about Snape."

Sirius frowned. "What about Snape?"

"He's been sneaking around listening to our conversations. James and I busted him trying to eavesdrop this afternoon."

"Did he hear anything?" Sirius demanded.

Remus shrugged. "Don't think so, we were talking about something completely different. He was hiding behind that tapestry of the Drunken Dame and James got him – Curse of the Bogies - it wasn't pretty."

Sirius snorted. "Serves the git right."

"Just be careful where you talk, that's all," Remus said warningly. He finished his essay at last and began rolling up his parchment. "I'm going to get some dinner. Coming?"

"Can't, I've got detention with Filch." Sirius stood up and stretched. "See you tonight then?"

"See you."

Sirius left Remus packing up his things and began heading for the dungeons, wondering vaguely what Filch would have in store for him. The caretaker was becoming vastly unoriginal – he'd already gotten Sirius to clean the Trophy Room twice that month, an obvious sign that he was running out of ideas for punishments. Sirius had just decided he was likely to be cleaning bedpans – one of Filch's pet penalties – when he heard someone call behind him.

"Hey – Padfoot!"

Sirius turned around. Puffing up to him was Peter Pettigrew, laden with books, round face pink and anxious.

"Remus around?" he asked as they set off together.

"No, he's already gone down to dinner,' said Sirius.

"Oh, _no!_" Peter wailed in a high-pitched voice. "I wanted to copy his Charms essay!"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "How thick are you, Wormtail?" he began impatiently, but then stopped; he'd just seen someone dart behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy. Someone who looked an awful lot like…

Peter didn't even notice, he was still wailing.

"…incantations, and wand movements, I mean, how do you _remember _them all…"

It was the nose that confirmed it; Sirius saw the tip of it gleaming from behind the stone. Struck by a sudden idea, he moved slightly to the right so he was partially hidden behind a suit of armour and pulled out pen and parchment.

"…anyway, what's the _point _of learning non-verbal spell for Charms, it's not _useful_ like in Defense Against the Dark Arks…"

Crouching awkwardly, Sirius managed to inconspicuously write the following note:

_Prongs,_

_Hogsmeade tonight – meeting Moony for usual business. Use secret passage under Whomping Willow (don't forget to hit the knot!). Bring the Invisibility Cloak. See you there!_

_- Padfoot _

Peter had finally realized something was amiss.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"Tying my shoelace," Sirius lied, folding up the parchment as Peter tried to read it upside-down. "Let's go."

As they continued walking, Peter resumed complaining and, glancing around, Sirius took the opportunity to drop the folded message right beside the statue of Gregory the Smarmy. From the corner of his eye, he saw a dark figure dart out and snatch it up. Sirius grinned.

"…there's nothing even wrong with my wrist movement, and Charms is a stupid subject anyway." Peter finished his tirade in a satisfied note. Then he noticed Sirius smirking. "What's so funny?" he asked suspiciously.

"Nothing," said Sirius loftily. Then he burst out laughing. "Well, not nothing, listen to this…" And he told Peter what he had done.

To Sirius' annoyance, Peter seemed more troubled than amused at his description of the prank.

"I suppose you think I shouldn't have done it?" asked Sirius, irritated.

"Well…" Peter hesitated for a moment. "If he gets to the end of the passage, he'll meet Remus."

Sirius sighed impatiently. "Well, you see, Wormtail, that was actually the _point_…"

"But Remus won't have us to hold him back…what if he gets badly hurt?" Peter looked anxious.

"Course he won't," said Sirius indifferently. "Snape's not stupid; he knows enough magic to escape. It'll give him a fright that's all."

"Oh," said Peter, his expression clearing. "I didn't think of that."

"The git deserves it anyway," said Sirius, beginning to smirk. "James and Remus busted him trying eavesdrop yesterday."

"_And," _Peter added, "I _know _he was the one what made my toenails grow in Herbology that time." He pounded his fist into his hand in anger; evidently the memory of this still rankled.

"I hope I get out of detention in time to see the look on his face." Sirius chucked. "It'll be _hilarious._"

They stopped in front of the stairs going to the dungeons.

"Until tonight, then, Messer Wormtail," said Sirius with a mock salute.

"Bye, Padfoot," said Wormtail, tailing of miserably to go to the library.

Sirius went down to his detention to find that, indeed, Filch wanted him to go and clean the bedpans in the hospital wing. Swearing a little, Sirius pulled up his sleeves and began scrubbing, the thought of Snape momentarily driven from his mind.

Peter made his way back to Gryffindor Tower at ten o'clock that evening, cursing Flitwick and his essay. He knew he'd done poor job (he'd had to made up a few incantations), but was too excited about the evening's impending adventure to give it much thought; he spotted James in the corner of the common room doing homework and hurried over.

"Hullo, Wormtail," James greeted, tilting his chair backward and absentmindedly rumpling his hair. "How were the Charms?"

"Vile," Peter said grumpily. "D'you know that's the _third time _Flitwick's made me re-do that essay?"

"Ah, well," said James, letting his chair fall back on four legs, "at least you've finished in time for tonight, unlike Sirius." He picked up his quill and refilled it. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Detention with Filch," said Peter, and suddenly remembering the prank, began grinning. "Hey – wait till you hear about what he did to Snape!"

He launched into the story about the dropped parchment expecting James to laugh out loud, but on the contrary, his face grew steadily darker.

"Let me get this straight," James interrupted. "Sirius actually _told_ Snape we would be at the Whomping Willow tonight?"

"Yes," said Peter, his smile faltering a little.

"But he didn't actually say _how _to get through the passage, right?" said James, frowning.

"Well – yeah, he did," said Peter uncomfortably. "He told me he wrote it on the note – "

"He _what?_" James yelped. "Of all the treacherous – "

He stopped and swore loudly. Snatching his bag up off the floor and emptying it onto his desk, he began rifling frantically through the papers.

"James – what's wrong?" asked Peter unnerved, but James ignored him.

"Found it!" James said, pulling out a piece of tattered parchment and prodded it with his wand. "_I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good._" He scanned it and slapped a palm to his head. "_Damn it! _He's already at the Whomping Willow!"

"James, I don't under – " began Peter, bewildered, but James cut him off.

"Wait here!" he snarled, and dashed up the stairs to their dormitory. He returned a moment later carrying his Invisibility Cloak.

"I'm going after him," he said breathlessly, thrusting the map at Peter. Peter goggled.

"Who? _Snape? _But – "

"If I'm not back in an hour, tell Dumbledore."

"Tell – _what?_ " Peter spluttered. "But – we can't – what about – Sirius said – "

"Don't you understand?" James spat out. "If I don't go, Remus will be expelled and Snape will be dead. If I don't come back, _tell Dumbledore."_

James dashed out of the portrait hole, pulling on his Invisibility Cloak as he went and sprinted down the passage. Taking a shortcut, he dodged Peeves, Stunned Mrs. Norris, and put the Leg-locker curse on Filch as he was about to lock the doors leading outside. He ran across the lawn to the sound of Filch's howl of rage, and smirked to himself despite the crucial hour. _Well, as it's Filch…_

Panting, he reached the Whomping Willow, prodded the knot with a stick and took the passage at run, clutching the stitch in his side. The Cloak had come off as he'd dashed across the grounds…he hoped Hagrid would find it and bring it back…

Hurtling around a corner, he swore, there was still no sign of Snape.

"You idiot, Sirius," he cursed savagely as he continued running…he had never been more angry at his best friend…he'd put Remus, Snape's and now his own life in jeopardy…and if he didn't pull back Snape in time they'd be expelled…or worse… _Azkaban…_

Finally, he saw it, a dim light moving ahead of him, held aloft by –

"SNAPE!" James yelled, putting forth an extra burst of speed. "SNAPE! STOP!"

The figure turned around. Snape's black eyes narrowed as James skidded to a halt in front of him, panting.

"Potter," he sneered. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here."

"Snape," James gasped. "We need to go back – it's not safe – "

"Not safe?" Snape's sneer became more pronounced. "What are you afraid of…_expulsion _perhaps?"

"Look," said James angrily. "Just – just come back up to the castle. I'll explain there but we need to get out of here. _Now!_"

"Do not give me orders, Potter," Snape hissed. "I know you're up to something, and I will _find out what it is, _if it's the last thing I do."

"Don't you understand?" said James savagely. "This is all just a stupid prank of Sirius'! He dropped that parchment on purpose to lure you in here because if you reach the end of this tunnel you'll meet – "

He stopped. Snape's eyes were narrowed to slits.

"Meet _what?_"

"N-nothing," James gasped. Snape's eyes glittered. He turned around and began striding towards the Shrieking Shack again.

"Snape – NO!" James yelled desperately, brandishing his wand. "_Incarcer – _"

But Snape was too fast for him – a flash of light and James was thrown onto the ground winded; another flash of light and his wand flew out of his hand, into the surrounding blackness.

"How I hoped," said Snape, breathing heavily, his sallow face illuminated by the dim wand light, "that I would be the one to catch you. Now we shall see…"

"It isn't what you think, Snape," James breathed, still on the floor and hating every inch of the being who put him there. "We need to turn back, you'll regret it if you don't…"

Snape sneered.

"I've been waiting too long, Potter..."

He turned, intending to walk back up the tunnel when James yelled out –

"_Remus is a werewolf!"_

Snape stopped dead.

"Yeah, that's the big secret," James spat out. "Haven't you noticed he's always gone on the full moon? This tunnel leads to the Shrieking Shack, that's where they take him every month so he can Transform. If you reach the end, he'll attack you! Now come _on, _we need to go – "

"Liar," said Snape quietly, turning slowly around to face him.

"What do you mean _liar_?" James snarled. "That's the truth, isn't it?"

"I'm not a fool," Snape hissed. "_Padfoot…Prongs…_there's more to this business than what you're telling me."

The colour drained from James' face as he watched Snape turn on his heel and walk away…he would reach the Shrieking Shack in _seconds…_he might have to Transform to save him…but he _couldn't…_

Snape turned a corner and light disappeared with him, James was left in pitch blackness. Feeling frantically around for his wand, James banged his head hard on a bit of protruding rock and felt blood dripping into his eye; swearing, he said "_Lumos!" _and to his infinite relief, his wand tip lit up. Snatching it up, he hurried after Snape.

Rounding the corner, his stomach dropped. Snape was right in front of the door to the Shrieking Shack…he was pulling it open…

"SNAPE – STOP!" James yelled, running forward in panic. "JUST - STOP!"

He could hear Remus' snarls from within; saw the look of horror that crossed Snape's face as the great, wolfish body hurtled across the room towards the open door; Snape stood there, frozen in terror…

"MOVE!" James threw himself forward and shoved Snape out of the way, both of them hit the hard dirt floor, rolling over and over, wands flying from their hands. Gasping, James reached over, and grabbed his wand.

"_COLLOPORTUS!" _he yelled.

The door to the Shrieking Shack slammed shut just as Remus reached it. James heard his entire body slam against it, the whole wall shook and earth fell from the roof of the tunnel from the impact. There was the sound of scrabbling, then the wolf began to howl.

Relief flooded through him as James shut his eyes, drained and exhausted.

"Get off me, Potter!"

He felt himself being thrown roughly aside. Snape scrambled to his feet, face grazed and bloody, but a look of insurmountable fury and hatred etched on to every feature.

"Coward," he spat, and strode off down the tunnel.

_Coward…_James felt a rush of anger. "I just saved your life!" he said furiously, running after Snape. "_I saved your life!_"

Snape turned to face him; he was shaking. "So you think you're a hero now?" he said, his voice a deathly whisper, "You only came after me because you got cold feet – "

"I told you, I didn't know anything about the prank," said James angrily. "I know we don't like each other, but I would never want you _dead._"

The two boys looked at each other, and for the first time James saw something flicker in Snape's impenetrable black eyes. Something that resembled sadness and loneliness, sorrow…fear…but then he blinked and Snape's eyes were unfathomable once more.

"I'm sorry," James mumbled.

Snape looked for a minute as though he were going to hex him, but then gave a humorless laugh and continued walking. James followed at a distance wondering miserably…what was to become of them all now?

It seemed to take an age for them to reach the Whomping Willow. James' feet dragged as he walked – Peter would have told Dumbledore by now; Sirius would be furious…perhaps that in saving Snape, he had gotten his best friend expelled in the process…

The tunnel ended at last, and James found himself outside beneath a starry sky, a cool summer breeze playing across his face. Snape was walking ahead of him. He looked towards the castle and saw a tall dark figure striding towards them.

Dumbledore.

Snape stopped in his tracks and James stood beside him, watching warily. Dumbledore's blue eyes flashed over their torn robes and bloody faces; Snape was still bleeding badly from the head.

James expected him to yell, almost wanted him to, but after observing the cut simply said, "Hospital wing, Severus. I will see you there."

Snape went off at once without looking back, and Dumbledore's eyes moved to James.

"Perhaps you should go as well – "

"I'm fine, it's only a scratch," said James hastily, wiping blood off his face. "Professor, I – "

But James stopped; he didn't know what to say. He wanted to apologize, though he wasn't sure why, it had not been him who lured Snape into the tunnel after all, and he'd risked his own life going after him, yet he could not help but feel deeply ashamed…

Dumbledore gave him a swift, penetrating look.

"I need to see to Severus first, but I would like to speak to you about what happened tonight. Please wait in my office, I will not be long."

James nodded and quickly strode off.

Dumbledore's office was full of snoring headmasters and headmistresses. James was by no means a stranger to the place, but tonight, he felt as though he were seeing it with somebody else's eyes…

Or else his own eyes had changed.

The door to the office swung open, and Dumbledore walked in.

"Sit down," he said, indicating the seat across from his desk, and James took it.

"You will be glad to know," he began, once he, himself, was seated, "that Severus Snape has not suffered any lasting damage. Madame Pomfrey is keeping him over night just in case."

James nodded. "What's going to happen to Sirius?"

"Mr. Black is being dealt with most severely. I have already had words with him. He is with Professor McGonagall."

"He's not – " James' voice stuck, but Dumbledore understood.

"We will not expel him this time, but we must impress the seriousness of what he has done."

There was a silence where James stared down at the desk between them.

"That was a very brave thing you did tonight, James," said Dumbledore gently.

James shook his head. "It wasn't," he said bitterly. "Snape's right, I _am _a coward…and now he knows about Remus…"

"I have forbidden Snape from telling anybody the truth," said Dumbledore. "I believe he will keep his word."

James looked up. "I just never thought," he said, "that a prank could go this far."

"It is easy to be thoughtless when you're young," said Dumbledore quietly, "but foolish, therefore, to remain so…"

"Remus always said were idiots for letting ourselves get so carried away."

"He was quite right," said Dumbledore. "But there comes a time for Transfiguration…"

James shook his head and Dumbledore's blue eyes flickered over his exhausted face.

"Time for bed, I think," he decided. "You have classes in the morning."

"But sir…" James hesitated. "What about my punishment?"

Dumbledore observed him gravely. "You have learned enough tonight," he said simply, and held the door open for him to leave.

James dragged himself down the corridor towards Gryffindor Tower. His head throbbed dully, he felt as though he would collapse with fatigue…and he knew, somehow, that everything would change with tonight –

Suddenly, someone shoved him roughly into the wall.

"You bastard, James." Sirius rounded on him, white faced and furious. "_What did you go running to Dumbledore for?_"

"In case you hadn't noticed, I just saved you from a life term in Azkaban," James snarled, shoving him back. Taken by surprise, Sirius stumbled backwards and nearly lost his balance; recovering he spat –

"Thanks to you, I've got detention every day until the end of term _and _I have to make a formal apology to that git."

"_That git _nearly died tonight – "

"He would have gotten away if you'd just left it alone! "

" – and _I_ nearly died trying to save him!"

"So play the hero then!" Sirius jeered. "Save Snape and get me expelled – "

"_What is wrong with you?_" said James angrily. "If you don't care about Snape, than what about Remus? How d'you think he's going to feel when he finds out about all of this? That you used him as some stupid ploy – "

"I would never use Remus, he'd have thought it was funny!"

"You know he wouldn't have," James said. He looked into Sirius' face and added quietly, "I know you've had it tough with your family…but I don't know…you're just so _reckless _sometimes Sirius…"

Sirius looked for a moment as though he were going to hit James, but all of a sudden resolve left him and his face crumpled.

"Look – you're right, it was stupid - I'm sorry – "

"Just forget it," said James, shaking his head.

"It should have been me that went after Snape – "

"It's over."

"But – "

"Sirius. It's over."

The two boys looked at each other, but Sirius felt he was looking into the face of a stranger; this new, solemn James was like someone he'd never met. In silence, they made their way back to the portrait.

"Dittany," said Sirius, and it swung open. When they entered the common room, they found it in darkness, but for a figure waiting for them near the fire.

It was Peter.

"I – I brought this back," he said hesitantly, holding the Invisibility Cloak up to James. "Thanks," said James tiredly, taking it back.

They stood there in silence, staring at each other.

"Shall … shall we go to bed?" Peter asked timidly.

"You go," said James. "I want to stay out here for a bit."

Peter looked questioningly at Sirius, who shook his head and motioned that they should leave. Peter scurried up before him, but Sirius stopped and looked behind him before he left, realizing, with a pang, that James Potter was no longer the same person he had been yesterday.

END SCENE TWO

A/N –

To all you non-existent readers of this fic,

This, in my opinion, was a little long and boring, but a necessary part of the story. There'll be James and Lily in the next bit. Review!

LADY BEATRICE.


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